Most security problems are easier and cheaper to fix on paper than in a finished building. A poorly positioned entry point, a car park with no natural surveillance, a ground floor tenancy that creates a blind spot — these design decisions cost very little to change at concept stage. However, they can cost tens of thousands to retrofit once construction is complete.
Security by design is the practice of considering crime prevention and physical security during the planning and design phase of a project — not after the building is finished and occupied. It gives architects, developers, and project managers the information they need to make better decisions early, when those decisions still cost nothing to implement.
At Smartsec, we provide independent security by design consulting across Perth and regional WA. Because we don’t sell products or install systems, our advice is based entirely on your project’s needs — not on a commercial interest in what gets specified.
Why Security by Design Matters
Buildings that ignore crime prevention at the design stage create problems that compound over time. Tenants feel unsafe. Incidents occur in predictable locations. Expensive retrofits get commissioned. And the organisation responsible for the building carries ongoing liability for a problem that was avoidable from the start.
Because of this, security by design is increasingly recognised as a core part of responsible development. Planning authorities across WA expect applicants to demonstrate how crime and safety have been considered. Insurers ask questions about design-stage risk management. And tenants, residents, and end users expect environments that feel safe — not just environments that have cameras bolted on after the fact.
Getting independent security advice at the design stage addresses all of these expectations in one structured process.
How Security by Design Differs From a Standard Security Assessment
A standard security assessment reviews what already exists. It identifies gaps in your current controls and recommends improvements to an existing environment. That’s valuable — but it’s reactive.
Security by design works prospectively. Instead of reviewing what’s there, we review what’s planned. We assess drawings, site layouts, and design concepts against established crime prevention frameworks. As a result, we identify risks before they’re built in — and recommend design changes that eliminate or reduce those risks at no additional construction cost.
This is a fundamentally different kind of engagement. However, the underlying principles are the same. We use Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design frameworks, relevant Australian Standards, and our operational experience to assess how the proposed design will perform in practice — not just how it looks on a plan.
Who Benefits From Security by Design Consulting
Several types of clients get strong value from security by design advice in Perth.
Developers and development applicants
Developers face growing expectations from planning authorities to demonstrate that crime prevention has been considered at the design stage. In some cases, a security by design report or CPTED assessment is a formal condition of development approval. Even where it isn’t formally required, proactive engagement with security by design strengthens a development application and reduces the likelihood of conditions being imposed.
Architects and building designers
Architects increasingly seek independent security input during the design process. Because security by design works with the design rather than around it, independent advice helps architects produce buildings that meet their client’s safety expectations without compromising design intent. We work directly with design teams — reviewing plans, attending design workshops, and providing clear, actionable feedback that integrates into the design process naturally.
Project managers and head contractors
Project managers responsible for delivering buildings to a client brief often need independent validation that the security elements of a design are fit for purpose. Because vendors and installers have a commercial interest in the systems they specify, independent advice gives project managers confidence that the security design serves the project’s needs — not a supplier’s sales targets.
Building owners and strata managers
Owners developing new buildings or undertaking significant refurbishments can use security by design principles to future-proof their investment. Because well-designed buildings attract better tenants, command better rents, and generate fewer security-related costs over time, the return on good design-stage security advice is often significant.
What Security by Design Covers
Every security by design engagement Smartsec undertakes is tailored to the specific project. However, several core areas feature consistently across most assessments.
Site layout and movement control
We review how people move through the proposed development. We assess whether pedestrian routes are logical, whether they create isolated areas at night, and whether the relationship between public and private spaces is clearly defined. Because poorly defined movement creates crime opportunity, this is often where the most significant design-stage improvements are identified.
Natural surveillance and sightlines
We assess whether the proposed design supports natural surveillance — the ability of occupants, passers-by, and staff to observe activity in key areas. We identify where building placement, landscaping, or design elements create blind spots. We also recommend design changes that improve sightlines without compromising aesthetics or function.
Entry and access design
We review how entry points are positioned and configured. We assess whether entries support appropriate access control without creating queuing, congestion, or concealment risk. We also look at how the design handles multiple user groups — residents, visitors, delivery personnel, and service contractors — and whether the proposed layout supports managing them appropriately.
Lighting design
We review proposed lighting layouts against AS/NZS 1158 standards and crime prevention principles. We identify areas where lighting levels are insufficient for after-hours safety, where glare may reduce visibility rather than improve it, and where targeted improvements to the lighting design would meaningfully reduce crime risk.
Activation and ground floor design
Active ground floors produce safer buildings. We assess whether the proposed ground floor activation — retail tenancies, lobbies, community spaces — supports natural surveillance and generates activity at the times when crime risk is highest. Because blank walls and inactive frontages attract antisocial behaviour, this element of the design review frequently produces significant improvements to safety outcomes.
Car park design
Car parks are consistently the highest-risk area in most developments. We review proposed car park layouts against crime prevention principles — assessing sightlines, lighting, pedestrian routes, surveillance coverage, and the relationship between the car park and the building’s active areas. Because most car park security problems are designed in, not added later, this is one of the highest-value elements of any security by design review.
CCTV and access control design guidance
We provide vendor-neutral guidance on CCTV and access control requirements for the proposed development. This means defining performance outcomes and coverage requirements — not specifying particular products. As a result, when the project goes to tender, vendors quote against a clear, consistent brief. This produces better value and better outcomes than letting each vendor define their own scope.
What You Receive
At the end of the engagement, you receive a clear written report. It documents our assessment of the proposed design against relevant crime prevention frameworks and standards. It provides specific, prioritised design recommendations — expressed in language that architects, project managers, and planning authorities can all understand and act on.
For planning applicants, reports address the expectations of development assessment panels and CPTED assessors. For developers and architects, reports provide a clear record of design-stage security consideration that supports due diligence and demonstrates responsible development practice.
We also offer iterative engagement — reviewing updated design drawings as the project evolves and providing feedback at each stage. Because design decisions accumulate over time, early and ongoing input produces better outcomes than a single review at the end of the design process.
Talk to a Security by Design Consultant in Perth
If you’re planning a development or building project in Perth or regional WA and want independent security by design advice, Smartsec would welcome a conversation.
Contact the Smartsec team here to discuss your project. There’s no obligation — just a straightforward conversation about what you’re designing and how we can help you build security in from the start.
